Questions for fasters?

[SunnyOne]

I want to begin fasting, it seems to have brought a lot of success to a lot of people with weight loss, lowering of A1C, etc.

Did you start out with a particular schedule that worked for you? did that schedule migrate over time? If a long time faster, what works for you now?

All tips appreciated.

 

[MarieIG]

What type of fasting, i.e. time restricted eating, OMAD (one meal a day), 24 hours, multiple days?

An easy start is no eating for an hour and a half after waking, no eating for three hours before bed, no eating/snacking between meals, try to limit drinking calories (and no processed foods).

 

[COcheesehead]

16/8. Eat in an 8 hour window, then nothing, but water for 16 hours. That is more or less nothing after 8pm, then eat at noon the following day.

 

[Rianne]

16/8. Eat in an 8 hour window, then nothing, but water for 16 hours. That is more or less nothing after 8pm, then eat at noon the following day.

I've been following this regimen for approx. 7 years. My window is to eat a big breakfast @ 7 am and then the last food @ 2-3 pm. I allow for social occasions, or if we eat late for one reason or another. For the most part, I follow this pattern 5 days/a week. My weight changes by 2-3 lbs and I weigh myself every morning. I feel great, good energy. There is something about giving your digestive system a rest. I do not diet. I eat what I want and that includes desserts. But lots of fresh fruit, veggies, and protein.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/hea...ttent-fasting-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work

 

[COcheesehead]

I still avoid white foods (bread, pasta, rice, crackers, granola, potatoes, etc) whenever possible and we try and limit carbs as well. We drink dry red wine regularly.
Both our blood numbers and weight are in excellent ranges.
I lost 14 lbs initially on my fast from an already pretty lean body. I now hold the weight in a 2 lb ish range. The worst time of the year is coming soon. Holidays.

 

[Aerides]

did that schedule migrate over time?

If you are aiming for, say only eating from 11-7, but normally start at 7am, it's better to ease into it the first week or so. Push forward an hour at a time vs. going for 11 on day 1. It doesn't take long to adjust, maybe 10 days tops.

 

[tmm99]

16/8. Eat in an 8 hour window, then nothing, but water for 16 hours. That is more or less nothing after 8pm, then eat at noon the following day.

I'm trying to do that on most days, but it ends up being like 15/9 so far.

 

[Sanstar]

I went cold turkey 4/20 and don’t recommend it. What other relatives have done, at my suggestion, is start wherever you are. If your eating window is 16 hours, make it 15 for a week. Then 14. Then 13… until you get to goal (hours wise).

If goal is to lose weight, give it 3 months or so at goal times. Then consider doing one food related micro change at a time. For example, if you routinely eat 3 pieces of chocolate, make it one. If you eat soup with a larger spoon, switch to a teaspoon. If two pieces of toast, one.

Give each micro change 2-3 weeks before introducing the next. From the very helpful book: Small move, big change.

Also, since I’m retired I got away from specific clock times. After waking up, prepare French press coffee. While it’s soaking, walk a mile, drink a cup of coffee, putter with household chores. Then eat. So, actual window may start anywhere from 8 AM -12PM. In any case, window closes 4 hours later.

 

[tulak]

16/8. Eat in an 8 hour window, then nothing, but water for 16 hours. That is more or less nothing after 8pm, then eat at noon the following day.

This is what I do with the same 8 hour window from noon-8pm. I’ll have coffee/tea in the morning and don’t have issues waiting until noon to eat.

I’m not sure if I’ve seen any health benefit, since weight, etc, has been pretty constant. But it’s easy to do and I figure it can’t hurt.

 

[qwerty3656]

I find that if I go low carb for a few days (KETO) first, it is then easier for me to fast.

 

[bada bing]

I find that if I go low carb for a few days (KETO) first, it is then easier for me to fast.

+1
Being Keto adapted (in ketosis) makes a big difference in my perceived hunger. It takes about 2 weeks in ketosis to be well adapted. Ketosis is the primary indicator for using fat as your primary energy source.

I fast for 5 day periods. I was doing it every other month (6 times a year) for the last 5 years, but I'm on track for only 3 fasts of 5 days for 2023. The metabolic benefits of multi-day fasts are different than time restricted eating. I'm not particularly spiritual or even spiritual at all, but there is something profoundly zen-like that kicks in about day 4 of a fast. I actually look forward to a 5 day fast now, although it does require some schedule juggling. A surprising amount of social interaction revolves around eating.

I'm not a health science expert by any means, but there have been two Nobel prizes in medicine awarded for work on the benefits of autophagy. Autophagy is only fully realized by muli-day fasts.

 

[Slater]

simple for me...
Last meal is dinner at 5pm.
Dont eat your first meal until 11 am the next day...

 

[FlaMariner]

simple for me...
Last meal is dinner at 5pm.
Dont eat your first meal until 11 am the next day...

That's my regular routine anyway....That's really just skipping breakfast. Not difficult. Perhaps I am already "fasting" and did not know it.